


And into the woods they went

by Bluestpaw



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fae Magic, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluffy Ending, Magical Forests, Minor Character Death, Shapeshifting, Somewhat Fluffy, adrien is a cat, at the beginning though, evil butterflies, somewhat angsty, vaguely
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28076622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluestpaw/pseuds/Bluestpaw
Summary: "Never follow butterflies into the woods", her mother used to say:"For they may promise blessings, but all they do is curse." And really, there was no reason for Marinette to follow them at all - for she had a dotting family, loving friends and an adorable stray cat to boot.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Nino Lahiffe, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Kudos: 11





	And into the woods they went

* * *

And into the woods they went

* * *

“ _They say a woman, deathly pale_

_a husband had with her._

_They say each morrow, without fail,_

_he beat her with a spur._

_And thus that woman, an early night,_

_she ran into the wood._

_And there she saw a bug take flight_

_and help it offer could._

“ _Oh butterfly, yes butterfly,_

_so bat your pretty wings!_

_Need help to flee my destined life,_

_won’t wait to see what brings!”_

_They say a boy, when just of age,_

_had bought himself a ring._

_They say he flew into a rage._

_To someone else he saw her cling._

_And thus the boy, he went away._

_Took ring, but left his heart._

_Into the woods he went that day,_

_his soul’s been ripped apart._

“ _Oh butterfly, yes butterfly,_

_so bat your pretty wings!_

_Need help to flee my destined life,  
won’t wait to see what brings!”_

_They say a child, six, seven, eight,_

_was lost and scared and cold._

_They say it hugged warm coal at night,_

_had no one else to hold._

_And thus that child, strayed from the path,_

_into the forest walked._

_It ran ‘til no more path was left,_

_by hungry beasts was stalked._

“ _Oh butterfly, yes butterfly,_

_so bat your pretty wings!_

_Need help to flee my destined life,_

_won’t wait to see what brings!”  
_

_That butterfly, that butterfly!_

_It took their plights in stride._

_It offered hearts and warmth and rings!_

_A simple flutt’ring lie._

_Oh butterfly, yes butterfly!_

_Will never feel your curse!_

_Oh butterfly, yes butterfly!_

_My life would be much worse.”_

.o.O.o.

“Maman?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Why are the butterflies evil?”

Blue eyes blinked up at Sabine innocently, tiny hands clutching the rough blanket, made from flour sacks. Marinette was worrying her lips between her teeth, a habit she had yet to lose, and her eyes were fluttering towards the doors ever so often, as if she were expecting a monstrous bug to barge through them any given moment.

She very much might, Sabine thought to herself. Marinette had always had quite the colourful imagination.

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Do you know?”

Sabine leaned forward, coming nose to nose with her daughter, smiling widely – but Marinette pulled up her blanket even farther, cowering underneath them and worrying her lips some more. Her mother chuckled and leaned back, casting her own eyes towards the doors as well. Her husband should come in any time now – the shop was to be closed up already.

Perhaps he had found himself involved in yet another one of Monsieur Grimault’s silly little tricks once more.

“Ch-Chl - I mean Lady Bourgeois says they stole the prince away!”, Marinette whimpered, now hiding the last bit of her head underneath the fabric, until only a few locks of her hair were sticking out.

“Well. I’m sure Lady Bourgeois is just telling tales to scare you and the other kids. Don’t listen to what she says. You know how she torments every single one of you! Did she not scare Mylene until she went away, crying?”

“But-But Maman! She says they took the king! They took the king, just last month!”

Now she got out from underneath her hiding spot, her blue eyes clouded with worry and fear as her mouth was still opened in protest – yet all Sabine did was smile, as she smoothed over the fabric.

“Don’t fret, darling. They’ll find them soon enough...” - How was one supposed to tell their daughter about court intrigues? - “...And I’m sure, no evil butterflies will have had anything to do with it!”

“Really?”

“Yes. And now be a good girl and go to sleep. But don’t go chasing any butterflies into the wood, you hear me?”

She leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her daughter forehead before tickling her and soon enough, childish laughter rang through the room, barely big enough to hold a kitchen.

“But maman! They’re pretty!”

“Pretty things can be dangerous, Marinette. And you should never stray from the path because of a treasure found tenfold elsewhere – and the woods! The woods are dangerous. Evil butterflies or not.”

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> This story poses a personal challenge to myself: Do not write more than 1000 words per chapter. Anytime I go over that magical boundary of 1000 words, you are allowed to bash me in the comment section.
> 
> That being said, chapter two will be a bit longer and feature more of the promised tags (I sure do wonder who that cat could be) - I hope you enjoyed this first chapter nonetheless (please leave a comment if you did!) and see you next time!
> 
> Bluestpaw


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